Latest news with #FacebookGroups
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
'There is a problem': Meta users complain of account shutouts
Meta blamed a "technical error" when, last week, it admitted wrongly suspending some Facebook then, users of the world's most popular social media platform have got in touch with the BBC to say how, for them, it is much more than a technical say they have been shut out of pages that are key to their working lives, while others highlight the digital connections to loved ones that have been well as anger, there is frustration that - despite Meta saying it is fixing the problem - there is often no human to speak to about an issue they suspect is caused by moderation decisions powered by artificial intelligence (AI). They have also described how Instagram accounts have been affected, despite Meta saying it does not have evidence of a problem on its platforms more more than 25,000 people have signed a petition in the last few weeks which says the problem is being experienced across Facebook, Instagram, and forums are dedicated to the subject, many users are posting on social media about being banned by Meta, and some say they plan on taking a class action lawsuit against the social media what people have told the BBC about what it means to them to be locked out of their social media accounts. 'More than just an app' The online petition about this issue was started by Brittany Watson, a 32-year-old from Ontario, in decided to act after her Facebook account was disabled for nine days in May before it was reinstated. She claims her page was cancelled over "account integrity", and Meta has not provided her with any answers as to why."Facebook wasn't just an app for me," she told BBC News. "It was where I kept years of memories, connected with family and friends, followed pages that brought me joy, and found support communities for mental health." When her account was banned, Brittany said she felt "ashamed, embarrassed and anxiety-stricken"."The weight of feeling exiled from everyone takes a pretty strong hold on you," she quickly discovered she wasn't the only one affected - thousands have signed the petition she started."There is a problem - it is personal accounts, it is business accounts, Facebook pages and Groups. I can't believe they [Meta] are only saying it is just Groups."Meta has told BBC News that it takes action on accounts that violate our policies, and "people can appeal if they think we've made a mistake".It has also outlined in detail how it moderates accounts using a combination of people and technology to find and remove accounts that broke its says it is not aware of a spike in erroneous account suspension. 'There is no customer service' Another user who recently lost access to his Facebook account is John Dale, a former journalist who runs a local news group in West London with over 5,000 members. His account was first suspended on 30 May for breaking community standards, and the page he administers has briefly come back twice since has no idea he was the only administrator of the group, he currently cannot approve new posts. Additionally, his own posts have been removed from the group."It's frozen in time, [while] quite a lot of material has been deleted," he told BBC Dale is appealing his suspension, but if he loses his appeal his account will be permanently deleted. He says he has received limited information on why he was banned."There is no customer service," he said. 'My income has taken a huge hit' Michelle DeMalo, who is also from Canada, says she has suffered financially since her Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended in the middle of June. They were reinstated on Wednesday, a day after the BBC contacted Meta about her runs several pages, with some associated with her businesses in digital marketing, and also uses Facebook Marketplace to buy and sell her accounts are linked, so when her personal Instagram page was suspended for "violating the terms" of a Meta policy, it triggered all of her pages to be suspended."My income's taken a huge hit in the past couple of weeks," she told BBC News from her home in Niagara Falls."People think I blocked them or think something happened to me."Michelle can't think of anything which triggered the suspension, and was worried about the reputational hit as some of her clients can no longer contact struggled to find a Meta employee to take up her case with."There's no customer service. There's no human being you can talk to." AI suspicions Another person left frustrated at Meta's moderation policies and its appeal process is Sam Tall, a 21-year-old from told BBC News that he discovered his Instagram page was suspended last week for breaching "community standards".He decided to appeal, and it was rejected two minutes later - making Sam suspect the process was entirely handled by AI."There is absolutely no way that was seen by a human," he told BBC News."All the memories, all my friends who I can no longer talk to because I don't have them on any other platform - gone".As his Facebook account was linked, that was removed too."No explanation. I'm a bit baffled, to be honest."Sam says it is time for some serious action from Meta - and not just for his sake."If I know it is quite a few people, then there is a chance of Meta waking up and realising 'oh, this actually is an issue - let's reinstate them all.'" Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. 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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
6 Booking Tricks Travel Experts Use When Everything Is Sold Out For Summer
I found myself refreshing TripAdvisor's Yellowstone forum for the third time that day. It was late April, and I was scrambling to book accommodation inside Yellowstone National Park for the July Fourth weekend, peak season. Lodging typically sells out 10 to 12 months in advance. I was nine months too late. Having visited 109 countries, I turned to one of my go-to strategies: checking forums. Then I saw it. Someone posted they had to cancel their reservation for our exact dates. I immediately opened the hotel's booking page in a new tab. The room was there, released back into inventory just minutes earlier. By the time I finished booking, we had locked in what most travelers consider impossible to get. This forum-monitoring approach is just one way to find accommodation that exists if you are willing to think outside the box. Inventory constantly shifts as people change plans. The key is knowing where to look when mainstream booking sites come up empty. Whether you're finalizing August travel or planning for next summer, these tricks can uncover options that others miss. Travel forums, destination-specific Facebook groups and Reddit communities become networks where travelers announce cancellations in real time. Tapping into these traveler communities takes patience and timing, but it often uncovers availability you won't find on standard booking sites. I joined Yellowstone-specific groups and patiently monitored cancellations. When someone announces a cancellation, you typically have minutes, not hours, to act. Most travelers overlook these community spaces, making this strategy especially effective for securing coveted accommodations. Hotel availability can vary significantly between booking sites. Different online travel agents (OTAs) have access to different room inventories, which means a hotel listed as fully booked on one site might still have rooms available elsewhere. I've seen this repeatedly when booking sold-out accommodations. The same property might be unavailable on but have rooms on Expedia or Beyond checking multiple sites manually, you can also automate this process. Tools like Open Hotel Alert or the Hotel Room Alerts app check inventory more than 100 times per day and notify you as soon as a room becomes available at sold-out hotels. By systematically checking multiple platforms and setting up automated alerts, you increase your chances of spotting hidden availability. It's a simple but often overlooked approach that can reveal options missed by many travelers. Sometimes the problem isn't availability. Hotels often require minimum stays during peak periods, and your two-night weekend might not meet their requirements. Stephen Lee, senior European travel specialist at Unforgettable Travel Company, points out, 'Hotels often have minimum night stay requirements, anywhere from two days up to seven days depending on the time of travel and the hotel.' 'Allow a day or two of flexibility. If you planned for two nights, consider three. An extra night might transform an impossible booking into a confirmed reservation,' he added. This works because hotels prefer longer stays during busy periods, and a small adjustment in your plans can open up availability. When your first-choice destination is completely booked, Brandon Dale, COO of GoForth Luxury Vacation Homes, suggests pivoting rather than giving up. 'When Mallorca and Marbella are booked solid, we turn to rising luxury Spanish destinations that offer similar charm, culture and coastline; places like Menorca, Costa Brava or the Costa de la Luz,' he explained. 'These spots often have more availability, fewer crowds and an equally elevated experience. If your dates are fixed, flexibility on the destination can open surprising doors. We often see families discover their new favorite place when their first choice is full.' I experienced this firsthand during my honeymoon planning. The most popular Costa Rica destinations were either very expensive or booked, so we shifted to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on the Caribbean side of the country. We found nicer accommodation right on the beach, fewer crowds, cheaper prices, and a far better experience. The key is finding destinations that offer experiences similar to your original choice, but without the heavy tourist crowds. When Georgia Fowkes, travel advisor at Altezza Travel, couldn't find accommodation near Venice, Florence or Pisa in mid-July, she tried something most travelers wouldn't think to do. 'I joined all the local student Facebook groups about a week before my arrival, and asked if any students were gone for the summer,' Fowkes explained. 'I crafted a personalized post on each group and added a photo of myself, asking for accommodation. Within a few hours, several students reached out offering their rooms, studios, or apartments.' Not only did this unlock central accommodation, but the financial benefit was significant. 'Because this happens on a person-to-person basis, the price is often much cheaper. It's a win-win where I get a room in the city center and the student gets help covering their rent.' For safety, she conducted quick video calls with top candidates and secured backup options. If booking sites show no availability, call the property directly. Hotels often hold back some rooms for corporate events or have last-minute cancellations that don't immediately update online. Christi Davis, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Loews Hotels & Co., stresses the value of this approach. 'My top recommendation is to call the hotel directly and ask about their suite inventory. Many travelers don't realize that hotels and resorts often keep select suites offline, and speaking with someone directly can give you access to options that aren't visible when browsing the website.' When calling, ask about waitlists, cancellation policies, and potential upcoming availability. Many properties maintain informal waitlists and will contact you directly when rooms become available. These strategies take more effort than standard booking methods but consistently uncover options that seem impossible to secure. The key is treating 'sold out' not as a dead end, but as the start of a more creative search. It took some time and effort, but now I'll be enjoying the July Fourth weekend in that impossible-to-book lodge inside Yellowstone National Park. If You Wanna Travel Like A Pro, Flight Attendants Adore These 25 Things Traveling Abroad? These Are The Items To Buy Now — Because They'll Cost Less There Is 'Travel Math' Derailing Your Finances And Vacation Plans?
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Meta admits wrongly suspending Facebook Groups
Meta says it is "fixing" a problem which has led to Facebook Groups being wrongly suspended - but denied there is a wider problem with its online forums, Group administrators say they have received automated messages stating, incorrectly, that they had violated policies so their Groups had been Instagram users have complained of similar problems with their own accounts, with many blaming Meta's artificial intelligence (AI) has acknowledged a "technical error" with Facebook Groups, but says it has not seen evidence of a significant increase in incorrect enforcement of its rules on its platforms more widely. One Facebook group, where users share memes about bugs, was told it did not follow standards on "dangerous organizations or individuals," according to a post by its group, which has more than 680,000 members, was removed but has now been admin, who runs a group on AI which has 3.5 million members, posted on Reddit to say his group and his own account had been suspended for a few hours, with Meta telling him later: "Our technology made a mistake suspending your group." Thousands of signatures It comes as Meta faces questions from thousands of people over the mass banning or suspension of accounts on Facebook and Instagram.A petition entitled "Meta wrongfully disabling accounts with no human customer support" has gathered almost 22,000 signatures at the time of writing on a Reddit thread dedicated to the issue features many people sharing their stories of being banned in recent have posted about losing access to pages with significant sentimental value, while others highlight they had lost accounts linked to their businesses. There are even claims that users have been banned after being accused by Meta of breaching its policies on child sexual have blamed Meta's AI moderation tools, adding it is almost impossible to speak to a person about their accounts after they have been suspended or News has not independently verified those a statement, Meta said: "We take action on accounts that violate our policies, and people can appeal if they think we've made a mistake." It said it used a combination of people and technology to find and remove accounts that broke its rules, and was not aware of a spike in erroneous account states on its website AI is "central to our content review process". It says AI can detect and remove content against its community standards before anyone reports it, while content is sent to human reviewers on certain occasions. Meta adds accounts may be disabled after one severe violation, such as posting child sexual exploitation content. "We take action on accounts that violate our policies, and people can appeal if they think we've made a mistake," a spokesperson social media giant also told the BBC it uses a combination of technology and people to find and remove accounts that break its rules, and shares data about what action it takes in its Community Standards Enforcement its last version, covering January to March this year, Meta said it took action on 4.6m instances of child sexual exploitation - the lowest since the early months of 2021. The next edition of the transparency report is due to be published in a few says its child sexual exploitation policy relates to children and "non-real depictions with a human likeness", such as art, content generated by AI or fictional also told the BBC it uses technology to identify potentially suspicious behaviours, such as adult accounts being reported by teen accounts, or adults repeatedly searching for "harmful" could result in those accounts not being able to contact young people in future, or having their accounts removed completely. Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
Malay Mail
25-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Local gaming group among those affected as Meta's mass suspensions hits Facebook groups worldwide
KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — A tabletop gaming community has claimed that three of its Facebook groups were no longer accessible to the public, amid a global mass suspension by Meta artificial intelligence (AI) bot since yesterday. KakiTabletop posted on Facebook that the groups could still be accessed by administrators, but some were deleted with their title changed to the blank 'Group title pending'. It said Meta has since promised to rectify the issue. 'Got through a chain of phone calls from Meta's Business support team, and they confirmed Facebook is having bugs in their system. 'They mentioned that the FB Groups should be reinstated within 48 hours,' the group posted on its website. This comes as thousands of groups, including those dedicated to hobbies, parenting, and shopping tips, have reportedly been affected in countries such as the United States, Canada, Indonesia, Canada, Thailand, and Vietnam. Technology news site TechCrunch reported that group administrators said they received vague notices citing violations such as 'terrorism-related' content or nudity, despite the innocuous nature of their groups, which include communities for pet owners, gaming fans, and interior design enthusiasts. Many of the suspended groups are sizeable, with memberships ranging from tens of thousands to millions, and some admins claim that all their groups were removed simultaneously. 'We're aware of a technical error that impacted some Facebook Groups. We're fixing things now,' Meta spokesman Andy Stone was quoted telling TechCrunch in response.
TechCrunch
24-06-2025
- TechCrunch
Facebook Group admins complain of mass bans; Meta says it's fixing the problem
After a wave of mass bans impacting Instagram and Facebook users alike, Meta users are now complaining that Facebook Groups are also being impacted by mass suspensions. According to individual complaints and organized efforts on sites like Reddit to share information, the bans have impacted thousands of groups both in the U.S. and abroad, and have spanned various categories. Reached for comment, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed the company was aware of the issue and working to correct it. 'We're aware of a technical error that impacted some Facebook Groups. We're fixing things now,' he told TechCrunch in an emailed statement. The reason for the mass bans is not yet known, though many suspect that faulty AI-based moderation could be to blame. Based on the information shared by impacted users, many of the suspended Facebook groups aren't the type that would regularly face moderation concerns, as they focus on fairly innocuous content — like savings tips or deals, parenting support, groups for dog or cat owners, gaming groups, Pokémon groups, groups for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, and more. Facebook Group admins report receiving vague violation notices related to things like 'terrorism-related' content or nudity, which they claim their group hasn't posted. While some of the impacted groups are smaller in size, many are large, with tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of users. Those who have organized to share tips about the problem are advising others not to appeal their group's ban, but rather wait a few days to see if the suspension is automatically reversed when the bug is fixed. Currently, Reddit's Facebook community (r/facebook) is filled with posts from group admins and users who are angry about the recent purge. Some report that all the groups they run have been removed at once. Some are incredulous about the supposed violations — like a group for bird photos with just under a million users getting flagged for nudity. Others claim that their groups were already well-moderated against spam– like a family-friendly Pokémon group with nearly 200,000 members, which received a violation notice that their title referenced 'dangerous organizations,' or an interior design group that served millions, which received the same violation. At least some Facebook Group admins who pay for Meta's Verified subscription, which includes priority customer support, have been able to get help. Others, however, report that their groups have been suspended or fully deleted. It's unclear if the problem is related to the recent wave of bans impacting Meta users as individuals, but this seems to be a growing problem across social networks. In addition to Facebook and Instagram, social networks like Pinterest and Tumblr have also faced complaints about mass suspensions in recent weeks, leading users to suspect that AI-automated moderation efforts are to blame. Pinterest at least admitted to its mistake, saying the mass bans were due to an internal error, but it denied that AI was the issue. Tumblr said its issues were tied to tests of a new content filtering system, but did not clarify if that system involved AI. When asked about the recent Instagram bans, Meta had declined to comment. Users are now circulating a petition that has topped 12,380 signatures so far, asking Meta to address the problem. Others, including those whose businesses were impacted, are pursuing legal action. Meta has still not shared what's causing the issue with either individual accounts or groups.
